Nixon tapes: Gays were ‘born that way’ but caused fall of Greece and Rome

The cussing and ethnic slurs of President Richard Nixon’s secret White House tapes forced a resignation and have provided often-appalling material for history over 40 years.

Historians Douglas Brinkley and Luke Nichter, preparing a fortcoming book, have mined this rich vein for Nixon’s views on subjects ranging from homosexuality to female profanity. It’s a radical departure from lyrical books by Brinkley, a frequent Northwest traveler, on Alaska, national parks and the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt.

Nixon: ”Let me say something before we get off the gay thing, I don’t want my views misunderstood. I am the most tolerant person on that of anybody in this shop. They have a problem. They’re born that way. You know that. That’s all. I think they are.

He says later: “But the point is, look at that, once a society moves in that direction, the vitality goes out of that society. Now, isn’t that right, Henry?”

Haldeman mentions the Greeks and Kissinger the Romans.

The White House discussion then turned to profanity. The phrase — “obscenity deleted” — became a national joke when the Nixon tapes were first released. Nixon had once lauded President Eisenhower for bringing good language back to the White House after seven years of the salty-tongued Harry Truman.

Nixon had very definite opinions on women and swearing.

“… you show me a girl that swears and I’ll show you an awful unattractive person . . . I mean, all feminity is gone. And none of the smart girls do swear, incidentally.”

In relating backstage conversations of the 2008 presidential race, the book “Game Change” related how one smart girl regularly cusses in private — Hillary Clinton, a prospective 45th president of the United States.

Brinkley and Nichter have reportedly mined 3,700 hours of Nixon tapes. Do not expect Henry Kissinger at the book publication party.